Category: News

Microsoft dethrones Apple to become the most valuable company by market cap

Microsoft has surpassed Apple to become the world’s most valuable company. The Windows-maker is now reportedly worth $753 billion, compard to Apple which has now come down to $746 billion.

It appears Microsoft’s startegy to invertments in products like Office, Azure, and Cloud has fetched good returns for the company. Reports further add that Microosft is possibly on its way to become a trillion dollar company, something which Apple was once.

Shrinking of global iPhone demand has caused a substantial dip in Apple’s shares prices. The Cupertino giant’s shares revcently fell to $172.2, after it announced reduced production orders for the iPhone XS and iPhone XR. Not to mention, Apple also has plans to resurrect the iPhone X and reduce iPhone XR prices in Japan to mitigate losses.

Apple’s stock has shrunk by over 10 percent since November. During that time, the company also announced that it would not disclose iPhone sale units to investors. Since then, Apple’s stock has been constantly sliding.

Earlier this week, a WSJ report also claimed that Apple is offering subsidies to carriers in Japan to reduce iPhone XR prices. Besides, the report also mentioned the company’s plan to resume iPhone X production. One of the problems the company is facing is the fact that older iPhone models still have massive popularity in countries like Japan, most probably because they’re much cheaper than the latest iPhone models.

Apple has also cut down production orders because of lower than anticipated demand for new iPhone models, as well as overall shrinking of the smartphone-market. Reports further cite that weak demand in China is another reason for cutting down production of newly launched iPhone range.

Besides, renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggests that Apple will see an year-over-year decline in iPhone shipments during the first quarter of 2019.

November 24, 2018
Galaxy Note 9 users complain of an annoying camera freeze bug

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is hit by a bug that freezes the handset’s camera while clicking pictures or shooting videos. According to reports, it appears only models running Snapdrgaon 845 processor are affected by this bug, as Exynos variants of the Note 9 are reportedly free of this glitch.

Several Galaxy Note 9 users in the US have reported the issue on Samsung’s support forums, adding that even software updates in the past few months haven’t resolved the issue. The camera freeze happens while using both the stock app as well third party apps. Besides, users also see a warning notification on the display which says that the ‘camera failed’. Both unlocked and carrier variants of the handset are reportedly hit by the issue.

Users did manage to find a temporary workaround to fix the issue by clearing the system partition cache. However, it appears the freezing re-occurs soon enough.

“Recently purchased the HK version of Note 9 (Snapdragon 512GB), encountered this issue within 2 weeks of purchase. Build number M1AJQ.N9600ZHU1ARJ6 with no updates available. For now only regular rebooting avoids the issue,” one user explained.

Sources also indicate that Samsung is working on an update to fix the camera freeze issue with the Galaxy Note 9. That said, an exact timeline as to when the fix will arrive remains a mystery. Besides, some reports also claim that the latest camera update rolled out in October fixed the issue. However, it’s pretty evident that users are still facing the issue, even after getting in touch with Samsung support.

The Galaxy Note 9 is now receiving the November security patch. Besides, a moderator Samsung’s US support page has also confirmed that a fix for the camera freeze issue will soon arrive on the Galaxy Note 9.

November 23, 2018
Google Duplex now available on a few Pixel phones in the US

Google Duplex has finally arrived on some Pixel smartphones in the US. The AI-powered chat agent that can fix appointments and make reservations over the phone is now available to a small group of Pixel users in select cities across the US.

Though for now, Duplex can only be used to make restaurant reservations. To do so, users just have to ask Google assistant to make the booking. Besides, users will be asked certain questions such as the preferred time of booking, how many people you want the booking for, and the phone number under which you want the booking to be made.

Early reports about Duplex are seemingly positive, as sources indicate the system worked every time it was used to make a reservation. However, not all restaurants are equipped with support for the AI-powered voice booking system. Now, this could be due to the fact that some restaurants have not yet opted for bookings through Duplex.

“We’re currently ramping up the ability to book restaurant reservations through the Google Assistant over the phone using Duplex technology. To help deliver a good experience to Pixel users and to businesses, we’re starting with a slow rollout and will expand to more Pixel users as we continue to ramp up,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement to VentureBeat.

Besides, Google has also put some security measures to prevent Duplex from being misused. As users can only cancel a restaurant booking only once per day. In addition, users found to have cancel multiple bookings in a row will be banned from using the system.

For now, we aren’t sure when a wider rollout will begin or by when Duplex would get the ability to perform other tasks. Nonetheless, initial signs look positive as the current system seems to work as Google intended it to be.

November 22, 2018
Apple to slash iPhone XR prices in Japan to boost sales: Report

Apple has reportedly announced price cuts for the iPhone XR in Japan in an attempt to improve the handset’s sale in the country. According to a report by WSJ, the iPhone-maker is offering subsidies to carriers in Japan and these price cuts are likely to be implemented next week.

Besides, the report further notes Apple has apparently resumed production of last year’s iPhone X. Now, this suggests that the company plans to sell older iPhone models in Japan. However, it shouldn’t come as a surprise as this won’t be the first time Apple will produce old iPhone models for markets which have sufficient demand for cheaper handsets.

One of the problems Apple is facing is the fact that older iPhone models still have massive popularity in countries like Japan, most probably because they’re much cheaper than the latest iPhone models.

However, the report also cites supply chain sources which claim that resuming iPhone X production is also because of Apple’s need to use OLED panels ordered from Samsung. These panels were actually planned for use in iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, however, lower than anticipated demand for new iPhone models has pushed Apple to use them on the older iPhone X.

This strategy would allow Apple to use the excess OLED screen components in a smartphone that became massively popular during its lifetime. Besides, offering it at a discounted price would allow Apple to mitigate losses suffered because of weak demand for new iPhone models. That said, it’s still not clear whether the iPhone X will go back on sale globally. As Apple no longer sells the 2017 iPhone X via its own stores.

Interestingly, the latest news comes shortly after a report earlier this week which claimed that Apple has slashed production orders for its latest iPhone XS and iPhone XR models, due to lower than anticipated demand.

November 22, 2018
Apple reportedly acquires AI-centric privacy startup SilkLabs

Apple has reportedly acquired SilkLabs, a start-up which focuses on AI-centric privacy and builds machine learning products. Founded in 2015 by Mozilla’s former CTO, Andreas Gal, Silk Labs develops on-device machine learning software and products for private and business security.

The startup has launched only one product so far: a smart home monitoring camera dubbed as Sense. The device uses facial and object recognition that can recognize different faces as well as pets for home security and business surveillance.

Besides, the device can connect with smart home products such as thermostats, cameras, smart bulbs, and speakers. With the help of on-device machine learning software, Sense can even identify users patterns and play music as per the user’s taste.

SilkLabs also stresses that the way it collects data offers more privacy than its rivals. The start-up explains its algorithms are designed to collect only key data, instead of substantial amounts a user processes so that a user is always in control of his privacy. Put simply, it could process data without sending it to the cloud.

Silk Lab’s focus on privacy and machine learning would have lured Apple , who also has a similar approach to privacy. The AI-talent from Silk Labs can be put to use by Apple to improve Siri and its smart products such as HomePod.

With Apple’s increased focus of AI- centric privacy, the acquistion of Silk Labs shouldn’t come as a surprise. Reports also suggest that Apple’s acquisition of SilkLabs was on a much smaller scale compared to the company’s other acquisitions.

The Information reports that SilkLabs only has around a dozen employees and received $4 million in funding. However, neither company has issued an official statement regarding the acquisition.

November 21, 2018
Chromecast gets support for multiple speaker groups

Google today announced Chromecast support for multiple speakers along with its Home speakers. With this support, Chromecast owners can add the streaming device to play songs, add playlists, podcast, and audiobooks across several Chromecast connected devices in their homes.

Chromecast support for speaker groups is now rolling out for everyone and works on all generations of the streaming device. The feature is certainly good news for owners who want a better aural experience. Not only can users play audio on their Google Home speaker, they can also sync the audio with any other device connected to their dongle. All in all, it’s a great way to setup multi-room audio with the devices you already own.

The feature is gradually rolling out to all Chromecast devices, hence it might not show up instantly on your dongle. That said, it will likely become available soon. In the meantime, you can join the Preview program with your device to try this feature.

To join the preview program, just open the Google Home app on your iOS or Android device. Then tap on the Chromecast connected to your Wi-Fi network, and click on the Settings Tab at the top right corner. Just scroll down the Preview program section, and join in by following the on-screen instructions. That said, you might need to restart your dongle a few times in order to see the option.

Once your device is setup, you’ll need to add your dongle to a speaker group in the Google Home app, as well as other speakers you ant to sync with. To do so, just open the Google Home App. Then tap Add> Create speaker group, and then tap on each device you want to sync. Give your group of connected devices a name and hit Save. Try to play some music and audio should play through your connected devices as well as your speaker.

November 20, 2018
Apple slashes production orders for iPhone XS and iPhone XR

In addition to cutting back production of the iPhone XR, Apple has reportedly decided to reduce production orders for its newly launched iPhone XS range as well. Reports indicate that production models for the iPhone XR have been massively reduced, by up to 30 percent. Although, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max have not witnessed such reduced production orders, according to reports.

Apple’s decison to cut down production orders comes as a result of lower than anticipated demand for new iPhone models, as well as overall shrinking of the smartphone-market. Reports further cite that weak demand in China is another reason for cutting down production of newly launched iPhone range.

Apple’s stock reduced by 5 percent earlier this month, as the company was unable to forecast iPhone demand for the holiday season. Another reason for falling Wall Street numbers is that Apple told investors that it would no longer reveal iPhone unit sales, which has probably made them apprehensive.

Besides, renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggests that Apple will see an year-over-year decline in iPhone shipments during the first quarter of 2019.

Well, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of prodution cuts for iPhone units. Last year, similar reports of the iPhone X popped up at this time of the year. Apple was overly optimistic about the debut of iPhone X, though reportedly decided to slash its production by 20 million units. However, it surpassed everyone’s expectations and turned out to be the most popular smartphone in the world.

November 19, 2018
Users facing bending issues with the 2018 iPad Pro

Apple’s latest 2018 iPad Pro certainly combines powerful hardware and a top-notch design in one single package. However, it appears the iPhone-maker could be embroiled in another bendgate turmoil, as several users are facing bending issues with their 2018 iPad Pro.

While we’ve already across several bend and stress tests which didn’t look good for the 2018 iPad Pro, users are now complaining about bending issues. The issue was reported by MacRumours citing users on the publication’s forum. Users are stating that the bend occurs naturally even though they haven’t conducted the stress test themselves.

One user experienced a slight bend on his 2018 iPad Pro after he came back from a weekend trip. Now, this brings back memories of the whole bedgate fiasco Apple faced with the iPhone 6 Plus. To rectify the issue, Apple introduced 7000 series aluminum to stop that from happening with the iPhone 6 Plus.

The good news, however, is that this doesn’t seem to be a widespread issue. As the number of complaints received for the 2018 iPad Pro bending is far less than what we saw with the iPhone 6 Plus.

In case you didn’t know, the latest iPad Pro is rather thin at 5.9mm, which makes it rather prone to bending. The exact cause of the bending still remains a mystery, and we hope Apple will investigate the matter as soon as psoosible.

We’ll certianly come across more regarding the bending issue with Apple’s 2018 iPad Pro, so stay tuned for more. We’ll update you as soon as hear anyhting new. Until then, keep checking back for more.

November 16, 2018
New 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan goes official

Toyota has introduced the 12th generation of its Corolla sedan. While last few generations have been minor upgrades, the latest iteration of the Corolla sedan invokes a breadth of fresh air thanks to a sharper design and improved features.

It’s inspired by Toyota’s New Global Architecture Platform, also known as TNGA. The platform has been the foundation of company’s other products such as Prius, Avalaon, Camry, and C-HR

The interiors of the 2020 Corolla sedan are rather similar to its hatchback counterpart. Though it turns out to be good thing given that car’s premium material quality and design.

The base L model sports a 7.0-inch touchscreen display, while all other variants come with an 8.0-inch Toyota Entune touchscreen infotainment system with Amazon Alexa and Apple CarPlay support. Unfortunately, Android Auto support hasn’t been added. Buyers also have the option to go for a dual-tone leather upholstery, with a few different color combinations.

Just like its predecessor, several active-safety features are standard across all models. These include adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and automated emergency braking. That said, Blind-spot monitoring will be optional.

Under the hood, the L, LE, and XLE variants of the 2020 Corolla sedan get powered by the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder gas engine found on last year’s model. However, the engine has been tuned to offer better mileage and performance.

The sportier XSE and SE variants, however, come fitted with a new 2.0-liter Dynamic-Force inline four-cylinder engine, which churns out 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque. There’s a CVT and a six-speed manual transmission option as well. The latter also comes with larger 18-inch wheels and tires.

The 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan is expected to go on sale early next year, with a starting price tag of less than $20,000. However, Toyota hasn’t revealed exactly when it arrives in the market happen next year, nor confirmed pricing at the time of writing.

Toyota also announced that there will be a Corolla Hybrid for the first time, adding that more details would be revealed when the car officially debuts in LA.

November 15, 2018
Apple probing claims of iPhone X explosion after iOS 12.1 update

An iPhone X user has claimed that the smartphone exploded after it was updated to iOS 12.1. According to the owner, his iPhone X first emitted grey smoke and eventually burst into flames. The owner, Rocky Mohamadali, posted on Twitter that his iPhone X became alarmingly hot and all of a sudden exploded after it was updated to iOS 12.1.

The iPhone X in question was bought in early January and was working fine, until the explosion. The owner also claims that he was using genuine accessories that came bundled with his iPhone X, including the official Apple Lightning cable and charger. He, however, also stated that at the time of explosion his device was not plugged into the charger.

“This year early January I bought the iPhone and have been using it normally. Dark grey smoke started coming from the phone. The update was completed and as soon as the phone turned on it started to smoke and caught fire,” explained Mohamadali.

As expected, the owner has reached out to Apple and the company has asked him to ship the device for further investigation. Apple is yet to release an official statement regarding the incident. Though Apple’s official support page on Twitter did respond to Mohamadali’s Tweet with the message,” That’s definitely not expected behaviour”.

That's definitely not expected behavior. DM us, so we can look into this with you: https://t.co/GDrqU22YpT

— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) November 14, 2018

No additional details are available regarding the issue. Though it doesn’t appear to be widespread problem as this is the first such incident about the iPhone X. Also, given the fact that Apple is rather strict about its QA procedure, we aren’t going to witness a Galaxy Note 7-like fiasco.

November 15, 2018
Microsoft finally resumes Windows 10 October 2018 update rollout

Microsoft has finally resumed the roll out Windows 10 October 2018 update, after pulling the plug on the original release due to a bug which completely wiped out users data. Microsoft confirmed the re-release in an official blog post, and promised that it has “thoroughly investigated and resolved” any issues from the original launch. That said, it took the company nearly a month to fully test the update before re-releasing it for the general public.

The initial Windows 10 October 2018 update was publicly launched without being tested by Windows Insiders. However, Microsoft now assures that it has tested the build for any bugs before making it available for everyone.

“In addition to extensive internal validation, we have taken time to closely monitor feedback and diagnostic data from our Windows Insiders and from the millions of devices on the Windows 10 October Update, and we have no further evidence of data loss,” explains Microsoft’s John Cable, director of program management for Windows servicing and delivery.

Windows 10 October 2018 Update will now be available for a small number of Windows 10 users starting today. Besides, you can manually check for the update by going to Windows 10 Update Assistant. That said, users will only get the update notification if their system is compatible. As in case any compatibility issues are detected, the update will not show up.

“If we detect that your device may have an issue, such as an application incompatibility, we will not install the update until that issue is resolved, even if you ‘Check for updates,’ so you avoid encountering any related problems,” explained Microsoft.

The Windows-maker also promised it’ll make sure such glitiches don’t happen again with forthcoming Windows 10 updates. The company says it’ll pay more attention to the quality of updates it offers to Windows 10 users in the future.

November 14, 2018
Google Play Store hit with another Trojan-ridden app

Yet another malicious call recording application has been discovered on Google’s PlayStore by malware researcher Lukas Stefanko. The app, called Simple Call Recorder published by FreahApps Group, already had over 5000 installs and has been available on the PlayStore since November 30, 2017.

Despite being a normal call recording app, Simple Call Recorder tricked users into donwloading an additional app impersonating as a flash player update, explained malware researcher Lukas Stefanko. Once installed, the malicious app compromised and infected the device by asking the user to install a fake flash player update.

“After install and launch, Simple Call Recorder decrypts additional binary file carried in assets and dynamically loads it. This behaviour is typical for the most Android threats these days. This Trojanized app contains call recording functionality and malicious code responsible for downloading and installing additional app,” explained malware researcher Lukas Stefanko in a blog post.

Interestingly, the Simple Call Recorder application has been on the Play Store for almost over a year, which happens to be a really long time before being found and then finally removed.

It’s also worth noting that this isn’t the first time malware reseracher Stefanko has found a Trojanized Android app on the Google Play Store. Back in September, he found a Trojan-ridden banking app which also disguized itself as a functional phone call recording app and stole banking information from compromised Android devices.

Surprisingly, even this one lasted on the PlayStore for quite long and witnessed over 10,000 installs. The app was capable of stealing banking credentials even when SMS two-factor authentication was activated.

Besides, malware reseracher Stefanko also found 29 other malicious Android apps from August unitl early October 2018 in the Google Play store, which also masked themselves as authentic banking apps and used phishing forms to collect a user’s personal banking information. Fianlly, Stefanko suggests that if an Android app asks you to download Flash Player from servers besides Adobe, it should be taken as a warning sign as the app is most likely infected.

November 12, 2018
iPhone X and 13-inch MacBook Pro have hardware issues, confirms Apple

Apple officially confirms that its last year’s iPhone X and 13-inch MacBook Pro (non touch bar) units have known hardware issues.

The company said that the iPhone X’s display isn’t as responsive to touch as it’s supposed to be. According to Apple’s support page, the iPhone X’s screen, or some part of the screen fails to respond to a user’s touch. In some cases, the screen reacts even when the user hasn’t touched it.

Apple said that customers with eligible iPhone X handsets can have their display unit replaced for free at their nearest Apple retail store or any Apple Authorized Service Center. Sources also suggest that iPhone X users have been complaining of the screen issue for months. The iPhone X was launched last year and has now been discontinued after the release of the latest iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus, and iPhone XR.

As for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, Apple said that some units might have a glitch that leads to loss of data or in some cases, complete hard drive failure. However, the company also notes that MacBook Pro units sold between June 2017 and June 2018 with 128GB and 256GB of storage and without Touch Bar might have the issue causes loss of data or drive failures.

The company also added that customers with eligible devices can get both issues fixed at their nearest Apple retail store or any Apple Authorized Service Centre for free. The company also added that customers with faulty iPhone X and MacBook Pro (non Touch Bar) units should get their devices repaired as soon as possible. To find out if your MacBook Pro is eligible for a free service, just enter your device’s serial number on Apple’s official support page.

November 9, 2018
Google releases Android November security patch

Google rolls out the November security update for Pixel, Nexus, and Essential devices. The latest Android security patch arrives with fixes for 17 security vulnerabilities.

However, Android’s November Security patch includes bugs and fixes specifically aimed at Pixel devices. According to Google, the new patch is likely to improve notification stability and picture-in-picture performance on Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 devices.

In addition, this update also brings the Pixel launcher button, which allows Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL users to launch Assistant much faster. Users can now squeeze Active Edge and easily trigger Google Assistant on their Pixel 2 handsets.

Users are also reminded that the new update does not resolve memory management issues with the Google Pixel 3. An issue which causes background apps to spontaneously close. However, Google is aware of the issue and a fix for the same is expected to roll out in the coming weeks.

It’s also worth noting that Google’s November Security patch will possibly be the last update rolling out to Pixel C, Nexus 6P, and Nexus 5X smartphones. As Google usually has a two year firmware upgrade cycle after a device is released. With that being said, it shouldn’t be a cause for concern thanks to dedicated developer communities who build ROMs that bring the latest security patches and Android features to most of Google’s older devices.

November 5, 2018